Sheet-bar-handling mechanism



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SHEET BAR HANDLING MECHANISM Filed May 13,- 1922" 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 1Aug. 5 ,192%

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. '14,503,670 W. J. STOOP I SHEET BAR HANDLING MECHANISM .Filed may 15,1922 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 mg 5 WE@ W. J. STOOF SHEET BAR HANDLING MECHANISMFiled May 13, 1922' 11 SheetS-Sheet 10 Aug. 5 1924.

W. J. STOOP SHEET BAR HANDLING MECHANISM vFiled May 15? 1922 11Sheets-5heet il @etenteri Ang, 5, w24..

'miran a. scoor, or mentaire,

To all 'zu/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WMA-M J. Strooi-1, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Wheeiing, county or Ohio, and

State of -West Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Sheet- Bar-Handling Mechanisms, of which the followingis`a specification. A Y 'This invention relates vbroadly to sheetbarhandling mechanism, and. it has for its primary object to providemechanical means whereby' sheet hars as they come from the finishingmills are expeditiously handled for effecting cooling thereof and,following l5 cooling, are transported to a position convenient forstorage, thereby effectively eliminating the very great congestion ofmill floor space which is incident to handling suchy bars by existingmethods. A further object 1s to provide sheet-bar .handling apparatus bymeans of which the bars are handled individually and in succession atthe maximum speed -of Which-a milliis capable, thus not only avoidingthe congestion oit space referred to, but also pro viding` for a verymaterial increase in the capacity of the mill. y

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of the charactermentioned Which-v l30 is Wholly automatic in its operation and by manualhandling of the which is eliminated bars from the time they aredelivered from l the finishing rolls until they arrive individually incboled condition at a place for stor- $5 .age.' i'

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thefeatures of construction, and xarrangement which Will hereinafterbefully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhichm Figure 1 is a diagrammatic top plan View of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan View` of a fragmentar portion of thetransfer table.

.-15 showing the rive therefor and the adjacent end of one of theconveyor chains of the coolingbed;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the structure, saidsection being' taken substantialiy on line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Figure fi is an enlarged side elevation of au intermediate portion of aconveyor of the cooling beu; l

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Fig-4s;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the Application filed may 13, 192%.Serial En. 569,58?.

.carryin cti' table and the delivery und ci' 4 a Eloiing bed in itsplace;

Figure l2 is a front end elevatie.: saine with a bar piier located overfer table of the first cooling bedg' Figure 13 is an enlarged cross thepinch rolls equipped with closer;

Figurele is an enlarged cross the transfer table empioyed conne with the.first oi the cooling bed" the modification illustrated in T l2; c

Figure 15 is a fragmentary top pian vieta of the same" illustrating;dthe driving for' the rollers oi seid table;

Figure 16 is a central section of ne mechanism by which the conveyors i,cooiing beds are interrnittentiy Figure i? is an enlarged d top pien or"a link ci a convf and- Figures 18 and. i9 are, respectiveiy, and frontend elevations of the Referring.;l to said drawings, i indicates bushingtank through which the sheet bars are passed 'prior to deiivery to aconbed. designated generally hy the i" character A. Located adacent tothe receiving end of the boshingr tenir is a pair of .pinch rolls 3journaied in suitabie hone ings and designed to feed the sheet herethrough said tank. pper and iower sete ci guide bars and 5 are disposedt 'form an ii'xtermediate guideway throngb Wliicii the sheet bars arepassed as they vanced by the pinch rolia 3, said presentinga iongsweeping cur-rati.MM i inclined downwardiy intctlie tar point adjacentto the exit side o said r'fls, and thence extending upwardly overv theopposite end. of said tenir to a point V:e side or a pair oi pinch`Antire length of the sheet l l embodiment ol the inmore or lessdiagranr the bar passes "from the between a series of aimed setstightening rollers 7 by '.ifhtened or flattened and irected forward to atrans `c understood that the bar iniard through the bosb- Athe pinolivrolls 3 is advanced and, grasped by the pinch rolls ed to the transfertable B over driven rollers 7 with suioient 'wholly upon said tab"-k Ar, l0, located at 'the .l said table is designed by the ont end of thebar eaocl'; ineident to the arl J'navel of the bar. linfthe comin torest of bar he transfer ta le, said bar u d by one ois. plurality ofapproxi y ,radial horns il" of each' of a pluol? rotary` spi 1' "nadiacent aprons 9 and carried by "2 whieh is journalcd in bearings 7lel5, and isby said horns .ly from said table to inclined e .o i

a; scat formed at the 'lower ends bars, wlienoe said harris p iclred 19a plurality of parallel ding; parts u oli the cooling n veyors compriseendless i sented upon sprocket i iront-and rear ends, ne cooling md,each of said ng u' right lingers i9 located Y distances illiterate.,Athe stioh a finger and that a sheet bar may ated in edgewise ypositioninT term,ate fingers. y.

The cooling bed may embody any number of the 'parallel conveyorsrequired to support the sheetbars, seven such conveyors being;illustrated,herein, and said conveyors are 1n de or". such lent/@thasmay lie-required to cooling of the bars in the traverse of the lattertroni one end of the Cooling-- bed to 4the other at the maximum rate ofspeed if said convoy-ors. P

in rting relation to the t he conveyor sprocket wheels a plursityoi"idler"wheels or ting; oi a series of alined er wheels 11 located dupon which the bar slides byl ed by rotary shafts having each oi" thev:inodoro pulleys 2O which are rotatable onspindles 21 carried by bearingblocks 22 mounted upon suitably supported parallel III-beams 2B ofappropriate length. Also supported on the under sides of said .ll-beamsare blocks 24 in which is carried one or more spindles 25 upon each oi'which is rotatably mounted an idler wheel or pulley 2G adapted tosupport the return traverse of the conveyor chain 1l. The idler 20 hasits peripheral surface shaped in substantial conformity with theapproximately plain' under surface of the chain which rides thereon andhas opposite lateral 'flanges 20n between which said chain rides and bywhich lateral shifting of said chain from the idler is prevented.` Theidler 2 which as stated, supports the return traverse of the chain isshaped in substantial conformity with the linger-carrying surface ol:said chain, the same comprising a hub 26il having two annulardisk-portions 26" upon the peripheries of which the chain rides. Saiddiskportions are separated by an intermediate annular 'channel 27adapted for the reception ot the fingers 19 of said chain'.

L ,ated adjacent to the delivery end of the cooling bed are inclinedslide-bars 28 to which the sheet-bars are delivered as the conveyorchains pass over the sprocket wheels 16 and upon which said bars slideby gravity to a Carrying-oil table Cwhich comprises a series of suitablyjournaled rol-5 1ers 29 and apron plates .30, the latter loca-tedbetween adjacentrollers 29, said table C being designed as a conveyor onwhich the bars are transported to .a suitable delivery1 point.

yln the modification` illustra-ted in'Figs.` 1l and l2, the boshing tankis dispensed with and two cooling beds A andl A are employed, thetransfer table B for the bed 'A' bein@ positioned to take the place ofsaid boshing tank and being adapted to receive the sheet-bars directlyfrom the pinch rolls 3. Obviously, the pinch rolls 3 will directsheet-bars to said transfer table B fortransferto the cooling bed Awithoutthe provision of 4any ecial driving means for therollers 8 whioiare interposed betweenl the aprons 9 of said table. Saidrollers are,however, provided with driving means whereby they may be actuated topropel forward sheet bars which are to be handled bythe cooling bed A,such bars being thereby' carried forwardl to the pinch rolls 6 by whichthey are then advanced directly to the transfer tab-le B. Said drivingmeansyas vherein `shown comprises a line shaft 3l driven in anappropriate manner, 'as by an electric motor 32, and bevel gearings, 33located intermediate said line shaft and shafts 34 which are'coupled tosaid rollers 8., A second set of rolls 35 'aio' preferablyl carried bythe housings in which are jourond, or auxiliary fisco holed the pinch.rolls 3, seid second set overlying seid rolls 3 end being adopted fordiresting; short lengths of sheet bers ted therethrough'to e her piler,generally des ignsted hy the reference character D9 which is or anyordinary or preferred construetionend which is located directly over thehoshing tenir l or over the transfer telole B according es one or theother is employed.

The driving ineens for the conveyors of the cooling hed comprime e powermechenisin whereby intermittent rotery movement is imparted to the shaft18 for advancing the conveyors step hy step, end also includes meanswhereby seid power mechanism is ectueted by passa-ge of sheet bars totheir pro er position on the transfer teole in rea 'ness to he shiftedto the cooling bed.

Said "power mechanism comprises a, shaft 36 which is suitably coupled,aslcy e coupling- 36a to the shaft 18 of the cooling hed mecha.- nismand which carries thereon u ratchet wheel 3'?. Mounted for independentrotary movement upon the shaft 36 adjacent to seid ratchet wheel is anerin 38 of approximately trienguler form, end piyoted to seid erin etthe forward outer ongle thereorn is e pewl 39 which rides Aupon theperiphery of seid ratchet wheel and. which is adapted to en* gege with utooth of the latter for imperting thereto e partiel rotation when seiderm is ectueted to swing forward on seid shettv 36. The reer outer ongleportion of seid erin 38 is piyotelly attached to the upper end ol econnecting rod t@ which has its lower end pivoted to a, piston el whichis arranged for reciprocetion within en upright sir, hydraulic, or steamcylinder 42 which has its upper end open. The extreme lower end of seidcylinder communicates through sfide-opening-port lf3 with a sec-'eylinder 44 inwhich is disposed aivertically recprocehle piston 45.Said lpiston l5 is cerried on the lower end or" e piston rod 46 whichextends outward through the upper end or the cylinder i4 und which isconnected by e pivoted link l? to the lower end of the movable core 48of a. suitable electromegnet 49.

InoWeVer, lseid electromagnet is energized,

the core 48 is instantly eleveted, lifting the piston to n point whereinthe port d3 is thereby uncovered.' The pressure Huid Seid eleclroniegnetis normally maintained deenerwhich enters seid cylinder i4 through eportL 50 in the lower end or the latter is thus permitted to enter thecylinder 42 for eecting upward reciprocating movement of the piston tlwhereby, through the interniediscy of the coimecting rod et erm 38, pewl39 and ratchet 3^?, e partiel rotary movement ciated. The oorosite endof said lever 52 is i il pivoted to the link e7. Thus, in the iinalportion of the upward movement of seid piston-fil, the lever 52 is swungon its mounting whereby the piston 45 is positive ly thrust downward toits normal sea-ted po siticn., the core t8 of the electromngnet hnvingbeen previously releesed through the breaking ci? the energizingelectric circuit in which seid electromagnet is located, es will`hereinafter he explained. The return of seid pistou l5 cuts oil 'theentrance 'to the cylinder 42 of the actuating duid through the port i3und opens seid port -for the er;- heust therethrough of the spent iluid,seid piston having intermediate its ends e reduced portion or annulerchannel 5ft which provides for tree communication around seid pistonbetween seid port i3 end an exhaust port 56 lendingV to the atmospherethrough the wall ci' the cylinder 441 As the spent pressure li'uidexhausts from the cylinder 42, the pistou @el is returned to its normalposition by pressure :fluid edinitted tothe upper end o e relativelysmell cylinder which is loont-ed ine suituhle'pon sltion shoveseidcylinder i2 and which hos operating therein e piston 58 connected hyc connecting rod 59 to the upper end et the connectingn rod fil). As is'manifesnmtlic downwer movement ci seid pistone all end efectsretrection cil the pewl 39 through out the distunce engagement with et37. t

The cylinder 57 is made of such relatively sineller then the cylinder 42that while it suiiices to return the piston il to its iowered positionupon the releuse or exhaust` ofthe pressure, or motive, fluid from scidthe next tooth of the reteh- .dem

required to position it in 'cylinder e2, the dcwnwnrdly directed torce13 for illustrative purposes, circuit closer comprises e movable contest60 cnrried ny the upper end of or her 6l which is pivotally mountedintermediario its ends upon a transverse rod 62 carried by the housingsfor the last set ol pinch rolls eniployedthat is, the pinch rolls whichoccupy a position directly adjacent to the front end of the transfertable B; or when Y the two transfer tables il and l are ein -ployed, asshown in Figs. ll and l2, a cirand. moves said arm to a rearwardly in-Aclined position in which its seid lower end mounts and rides upon saidbar." When said arrn rides ofi' the rear end of the. har, it

swings by gravitv in the manner ci' a pendulum in Wliiclrit presentsVthe Contact 6G thereof in engagement. with the fixed contact 63,thereby closing the electric circuit whereby the-electromagnet e9 isenergized *for initiating actuation of the driving means by which theconveyors oi the cooling hed are advanced, es aforesaid, and by whichthe shee, her justdelivered tothe transfer 'table is shifted from thelat-ter to a position. in which it ma Y he picked up h v lingers of saidconveyors. ils is obvious, the time cii engagement between the coniac'tsand G3 is of extremely limited din'ation, lout such. suices 'to eil'ectelevation olf the piston 4th thereby permitting; the inotive fluid toactuate the driving mechanism.

The shalt l2 by which the spider wheels 1l are carried are driven bysuitable geeriiig interposed between it and the conveyorcai'rying shaft17, and, consequently. said spider Wheels are actuated simultaneouslywith 'each intermittent advance of the conveyors. Said gearing, asherein shown, coinprises a gear 641 carried by an' end of said shaft 17and disposed in mesh with idle gear which, in turn, is disposed inoperative relation to a pinion 56 carried by said shaft 12.

It will he understood. that, il desired, a plurality of alinedloosliing' tanks l may beemployed instead of tliesingle hoshing tank asherein shown. l

The pinch rolls 6, as also the leveling rolls 7 when the latter areemployed, are preferably drivenlby ai variable speed elec tric motor6'?. The speed of this niotor may he so regulated that the bars will beposiL tioned upon thetransiier table B with great accuracy. rEhis isregarded as a matter of considerable importance? as :1 too rapid, (le--livery oi the bars to said table would result,

in the forward ends thereot` being ,lient incacvc through forcibleengagement thereoi` with the buffer l0.

1. A4 sheet-har handling' inechanisrn coin prising a transfer table,ineans flor delivering sheet-bars in a lengthwise direction to saidtable, a cooling bed having one end located .adjacent to said table.7rotating means for shifting bars laterally from said table to saidcooling 'noch said bed coinpi'is ing a plurality ci' 'parallel'traveling end conveyors, a carrying 'oli4 table locaed adyncent to theopposite end of said cooling hed and adapted to receive said hars freinthe latter and to transport. said hars to a piling point, and ineens foradvancing the to the opposite end of said cooling ceda and adapted toreceive said hars from the latter and to transport said hars to a pilingpoint,

`and 'means controlled hy delivery of here to said transfer tablewhereby the conveyors of said cooling bed are advanced a definitedistance.

A sheet-bai' handling mechanism coni prising a transfer table, means tordeliverini-i' slieet-l ars in a lengthwise f lirection to said table, acooling; hed having one end lo cated adjlicent to said table, rotatingineens for sliitine; hars laterally from said table to said coo inglied, said bed comprising a plurality of parallel traveling endlessconveyors., a carrying-editable located adjaceni; to the op'losite endolf said cooling hed and adapted to receive ,said bars from the and izo'transport said hars to piling noio a power iiiecliaiiisrnlorY 'drivingthe c veyors of said .cooling hed, and ineens intermittently actuatingsaid power mechaiiisin. j y Y fl. il slieetebar handling' .mechanismycoinprisinggfa transfer table, mee-ns for deliver lili ing sheet-harsin alcngtlwise direction to said faalde, a cooling hed having one endlocated adjacent to said r table, rotating means for 'shiiiting'harslaterally' from said table tosaid cooling hed, said bed connerie1 ingsplurality of parallel traveling endless conreyors, a carrying-off tablelocated adjacei'il to the oppositev end of said cooling and adapted to'receive said hars from the latter and to transport said oai-s toa pilingpoint, a power mechanism for intermittently advancing the conveyors ofsaid cooling hed, and means 'for actuating said power mechanism etdeiiniteiiijnes,

l 5. A slieet-bar handling mechanism comprising a transfer table, meansforl deliven 1 ing 'sheet-bars iii a lengthwisedii'ection to `saidtable, :a cooling bed having one end Alocatedadjacent to said table,means ,for

yYshi".tfting bars -laterally from said table to j adapted bedcomprising a adjacent to the opposite end of said cooling tol receivesaid bars from the lat- ,""ter and to transport said bars to a piling y.point, a power mechanism for intermittently advancing the conveyors ofsaid cooling bed, and means controlled by tosaid transfer tablewherebysaid power 1*"meciianism is actuated.

6. Asheetbar handling mechanism comprising a transfer table, means forldeliversaid cooiing bed, said bed operative 4thi'ouiiont a definitedistance.

ing sheet-bars ina lengthwise direction to saidtahle, a cooling bedhavingone end lomeans vliars 'laterally from said table bed, said bedcomprising a of parallel traveling endless conal carrying-ot tablelocated adjacent opposite end of said cooling hed and plurality QL thendto transport said bars to a piling point, orinallyinoperative powermechanism erehy the conveyors ofsaid cooling mechnisinjare advanced, andmeans for momen- Y ily f vrendering said power mechanism for drivingsaid 'conveyors sheet-bar handling mechanism coinyprisinga transfertable, means for deliver- -ing sheet-bars in a4 lengthwise direction toid table7 a cooling bed having one end "located adjacent to said table,means for shifting bars laterally from said table to comprising a fplurality of parallel traveling endless con yeyors, a carrying-oft tablelocated adjacent p is "te the opposite end of said cooling bed andadapted to receive said hars from the latter Aand to transport said barsto a piling a normally inoperative power mechanism V anisin areadvanced, I" -`f jby delivery point,

whereby the conveyors of said cooling mechand means controlled of barsto said transfer table whereby said power mechanism is momenplurality oftarily rendered operative for advancing said conveyors a definitedistance.

8. A sheet-bai' handling mechanism comprising a transfer table, meansfor delivering sheet-bars in a lengthwise direction to said table, acooling bed having one end located adjacent to Said table, means forshifting bars laterally from said table to said cooling bed, said bedcomprising a parallel traveling endless conveyors, a carryingpd' tablelocated adjacent to the opposite end of said cooling bedl and adaptedtoreceive said bars and transport bed and delivery of bars dapted toreceive said barsgfrom the latter/f vsaid table, a cooling bed 'liveryto said table,

thenito a piling point, a normallyl inoperaive power mechanism wherebythe conveyorsfof said cooling mechanism arcadvanced, and electricalmeans for meinentarily rendering said ower mechanism operative, saidmeans inc uding'a normally open electric' circuit, and a device actuatedby each advancing sheet-bar whereby said circuit is momentarily closed.

9. A sheet-bar handling mechanism coniprising a transfer table, meansfor deliver for advancing the conveyors of said cooling bedintermittently throughout a .definitely limited distance.' y

10. A sheet-bar handling mechanism coinprising a transfer table, meansfor delivering sheet-bars in a lengthwise direction to having one endlocated adjacent to said table, rotating means whereby said bars areindividually shifted laterally to said cooling bed following des saidhed comprising a plurality of parallel traveling endless conveyorshaving separate relatively spaced ar-receiving spaces, means forintermit-V tently advancing the conveyors of said cooling bed throughouta distance corresponding tothe distance between adjacent bar-receivingspaces, and a carrying-Gif table located adjacent to` the opposite endof said cooling bed and adapted to receive said bars from the latter andto transport said bars away from said-bed.

l1. A sheet-bar handling mechanism comprising a transfertable,ineans'for delivering sheet-bars in a lengthwise direction to saidtable, a cooling bed having one end located' adjacent to said table,spider wheels whereby said bars are individually shifted later'alhy Atosaid cooling bed following delivery to said table,'said bed comprising aplu ality tance corresponding to that between ad* jacent bar-receivingspaces, gearing inten mediate said bed and said spider wheels `wherebylthe vlatter are actuated simultaneously with the advance 'of saidconveybrs, anda carryingpfi table to which bars are individuallydelivered from said badi" 12. A sheet-bar handling mechanism comprisinga transfer table, means for delivering sheet-bars to said table, acooling bed having one end located adjacent to said table, de vices foreffectingl shifting of bars from said table to said bed, said bedcomprising a plurality `of parallel travelingr endless conveyors havingseparate relatively spaced bar-receiving spaces, a normally inoperativepower mechanism for advancing said conveyors throughout a definitelylimited distance; and electrical means for intermittently rendering saidpower mechanism operative. y 13. A sheet-bar handling mechanismcomprising a transfer tahl.e,`n'icans for deli 'ering Sheet-bars to saidtable, a coolinighcd having one end located adjacent to said table,devices lor effecting shifting of' bars 'from said table to said bed,said bed lcomprising` a plurality ot parallel traveling endlessconveyors having sepg arate relatively spaced bar-receiving spaces, anormally inoperative power mechanism for advancing said conveyorsthroughout a definitely limited distance, and electrical means forintermittently rendering,r said power mechanism operative, saidelectrical means including a normally-open electric circuit arranged tobe momentarily closed by each sheet bar at a definite point in theadvance oiE the latter. l

i4. A sheet-har handling mechanism, as defined in claim l2, in which thepower mechanism comprises a ratchet device for imparting a definiteadvance movement to the conveyors, a main power cyiindcr, a pistonreciprocahle in said cylinder and ar ranged to actnate said lratchetdevice upon its outstroke, an auxiliary cylinder in communication withanend of said main, cyiinder, a piston reciprocable in said auxiliarycylinder, means permitting passage of the actuatingfiuid through saidaalaiiiary cylinder to said main cylinder for producing an outstroke ofthe main cylinder piston when the piston of said auxiliary cylinder iselcn vatedand pcrn'iitting exhaust of said ilnid from! saidfjnaincylinder when said auxiliary cylinder piston is lowered, said auxiliarycylinder piston being arranged to he actuated to elevatedy position bysaid electrical means, and means for cii'ec'ting the return oit saidmain cylinder piston to initial position.

l5. A sheet-bar handling mechanism comprising pinch roils, a hoshing`tank through Iwhich sheet bars are directed by said rolls, a,

cooling bed, means for deliverimgr said hars to said bed followingpassage thereof through said tank, said bed comprising trzweli ingconveyors embodying means Wherehy said bars are maintained ont ofcontact with each other, and means for advancing said conveyors.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signa in presence of two subscribingWitnesses WLLAM J, STUR Witnesses:

Gr. C. SMITH, H. E. DnNLAr.

